In the wake of their statements, chief people officer of Astronomer and out queer executive Kristin Cabot has stepped down from her role. The decision comes on the heels of a sensationalized case at a recent Coldplay concert. There, she proceeded to get video-taped hugging CEO Andy Byron in front of Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts. Since then this unforeseen event has roused a tempest of blogosphere outcry and public relations calamity.
The whole thing began during the “Jumbotron Song.” Coldplay’s lead singer Chris Martin urged the audience to look at their neighbors and remember a silly, joyful, carefree moment. Cabot and Byron shared a joyous hug on the Jumbotron. Martin had to get in a barb, noting, “Well, they’re either on an affair or they’re very bashful.” This cheeky comment provided a whole lot of gasoline to the already ignited firestorm of a video that would soon spread like wildfire across every social media platform.
After the concert, people on the internet quickly identified Kristin Cabot. This inspired a wave of gifs, memes, parody videos, and screenshots that reveled in the victory. Unfortunately, the incident eclipsed her professional undertaking and led many to question whether the embrace had become a spectacle in and of itself. In response to the bad publicity, Cabot’s profile was removed just as quickly from the Astronomer’s website. They deleted a November press release that announced her hiring.
In a brief statement on the matter, Taylor Jones, a spokesman for Astronomer, confirmed Cabot’s resignation, stating, “Kristin Cabot is no longer with Astronomer. She has resigned.” Her departure comes on the heels of the surprising resignation of CEO Andy Byron. He resigned in the wake of an investigation that led to his departure from the company. The timing of these resignations has caused concern among employees and suspicion even among industry observers.
As news of Cabot’s resignation broke, many expressed concern for the culture within Astronomer, particularly following Byron’s abrupt exit. The dual resignations have left many questioning the internal dynamics at the company and how they may affect its future operations.
